Building record 731/1/1 - Church of St. James

13th-15th centuries, restored by William White in 1867-8 and E.F. Law in 1874. Coursed squared limestone, tile roofs, except for nave roof of lead. Chancel, vestry, nave, north and south aisles, south-west porch, west tower.

{1} Church. C13, C14, C15, restored by E.F. Law 1874. Coursed squared limestone, tile roofs, except for nave roof of lead. Chancel, vestry, nave, north and south aisles, south-west porch, west tower. 2-bay chancel has 3-light east window with intersecting tracery with trefoils, pointed trefoil lights and hood mould. C19 vestry and organ chamber to north, a blocked priest's door, hollow and ogee chamfered, with hood mould, a 2-light straight-headed window to south-west with hood mould, a one-light with head and hood mould to south-east. Nave has clerestory with 4 small quatrefoil windows north and south and plain stone-coped parapets. North aisle has 3-light arch mullion window to north-east with cut spandrels and hood mould, a similar 2-light window further west, flanked by similar one-light windows, moulded stone eaves and stone-coped gables. South aisle has diagonal offset buttresses, a 3-light straight-headed east window with reticulated tracery and hood mould, a similar. South side with quatrefoils flanked by similar 2-light windows, moulded stone eaves and stone coped gables. Porch to west end of south aisle has round-headed doorway with imposts and hood mould and is lined with timber; 6-panel double-leaf west door within. 2-stage west tower has diagonal offset buttresses, a lancet window to west with hood mould and 2-light bell-openings with central colonnettes, plain stone-coped parapet and recessed shingled spire. Interior: chancel has double-chamfered chancel arch, innermost hollow-chamfered on polygonal corbels. Nave has 4- bay arcades with octagonal piers, capitals, double-chamfered arches and polygonal responds. Triple-chamfered tower arch, the inner arch on moulded corbels. C19 Perpendicular style nave roof and C19 lean-to aisle roofs. Norman tub font with rope moulding to rim; from Turweston church, Buckinghamshire. Some traces of wall painting in aisles. El of alabaster set up by Francis Sanders to Peter Andrewe d.1612 and his wife Jane. The inscription flanked by pilasters supporting frieze with arms above flanked by obelisks; an alabaster wall monument with arms of Sanders; and alabaster wall monument with inscription to 5 sons of Robert Style, set up in 1718. Painted charity board in tower. (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.422; Kelly's Directory for Northamptonshire, 1928; Parish records deposited in Northamptonshir Office).

{3} The chancel arch is of c1200. the corbels still have the late Norman trumpet capitals. The arch has one hollow chamfer. Hoodmould with nutmeg decoration. C13 west tower. The church was restored by William White in 1867-8 when the spire was rebuilt, with further work by E F Law in 1874.

{4} Slides and photographs of Syresham Church.

{5} Description of Romanesque features of church including the chancel arch and font.

{6} Undated photo, also two photos dated 26.11.1993;

{9} Plan of church, also drawings, sketches measurements and notes;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/80 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F07 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 601 (Book). SNN111989.

<4> FOARD G., 1998, PHOTOGRAPHS, (checked) (Photographs). SNN51631.

<5> King's College, London, 2017, A corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland, Site 1164 (Website). SNN110894.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Syresham (Photographs). SNN113238.

<7> GUIDE AND SHORT HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN47603.

<8> Historic England, Undated, St James Church, Syresham, BF107404 (Archive). SNN115954.

<9> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/259/1-17 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Dec 17 2024 9:52AM